


The Judge

by vampgirl999



Category: Far Cry: New Dawn
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hugs, Old Friends, Reunions, just so many hugs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 19:03:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21415129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampgirl999/pseuds/vampgirl999
Summary: Discovering the true identity of the Judge, and various character's reactions to them/this news.
Relationships: Deputy | Judge & Carmina Rye, Deputy | Judge & Hurk Drubman Jr., Deputy | Judge & Kim Rye, Deputy | Judge & Nick Rye, Grace Armstrong & Deputy | Judge, Sharky Boshaw & Deputy | Judge
Kudos: 37





	1. Sharky

Sharky was floored when he found out. This was his best friend, after all, and they had survived the Collapse and “Joseph Motherfucking Seed”! Even so, he could tell their time together had left its mark - they wore their mask more often than not, even with so many knowing of them, and when they didn’t, he could see the wary glances he shot the other members of Prosperity. Not all of them had been around when Rook was saving Hope County, they just knew them as the Judge. 

So Sharky made sure everyone knew both. 

He was loud, always had been, and made sure to put it to use: anytime he told stories about Rook’s heroics (which was often), he made sure to raise his voice enough that even the people just walking by would hear him. He told them about Rook joining him in disco inferno, about them “heroically” saving him from at least two dozen drugged-out Angels that had ambushed him (okay, make it was closer to three that actually reached him - the rest got cooked or shot before then), all the while Rook sprinted around his trailer park to shut down all the music speakers the Peggies had set up to attract them (totally not his own sound system that had busted and set them off). He encouraged the others to share their stories as well, about how they had helped recover Hurk Sr’s truck from thieves, and got Kim to the midwife, and helped Grace protect the graves of her dad and his army buddies. 

Soon, nobody was giving Rook the side-eye. They would wave and say hello, little kids would run up and start signing at them, asking if they had  really taken on a bison with nothing but an old pipe wrench. While overwhelmed at times, Rook still seemed more relaxed, and even joined him one night by a large fire he had started, telling stories to whoever wanted to listen. They sat beside him, and when he threw an arm around their shoulders, they leaned in rather than pull away; smiling and signing as he told the story, at times gently ribbing him when things got a bit too much for the kids involved, or he got too excited. 

  
He’d promised Kim he wouldn’t set himself on fire this time, after all.  **   
**


	2. Hurk Jr

Hurk, like Sharky, is absolutely amazed that the Deputy is still alive and well. Or, as well as they can be, anyway. He isn’t sure how to approach them for the longest time - it wasn’t like they were on bad terms or anything, but they had clearly been through some shit, and Hurk was far from the best person to help deal with that sort of thing. 

It was actually Nana who gave him an idea to try. He strolled right up to them one day, Blade gurgling happily in his arms, and cleared his throat to get their attention. 

“Hey there man! This little guy right here is Blade Drubman - that’s right, he’s my son! I’m a daddy now, and Sharky’s his mommy!” He paused, and moved to place Blade in the Deputy’s arms. Startled, they adjusted, carefully holding the cooing bundle. 

“Well, technically Gina is his real mommy, being my wife and baby mama, after all, but Sharky liked the title so much I couldn’t just take that away from him, especially with Gina being gone and all-” Midway through his ramble, he looked up again. Rook was cradling Blade in their arms, looking at him with a sense of wonder he found all too familiar. The baby seemed perfectly happy in their arms, giggling and swiping at the fur sewn around the hood of their jacket. Hurk grinned. 

“See that, he likes you! Just like I knew he would!” Later, he would think to thank Nana. For now, he was content to watch Deputy interact with his son… and debate on how to convince Gina that Blade needed a second Godparent besides Sharky. 

Maybe she would be more open to it now that they didn’t wear the mask all the time?


	3. Grace Armstrong

The Judge could remember a time - when they went by a different name and the world was less of a wasteland - that Grace had been there to support them. When the burden of their sin and their idealism had grown too heavy, the expectations too many. They waited for the moment that they saw the same in the blind sniper - a subtle tremble to her hands as she worked, a stiffness to her shoulders that stayed too long unmoved, and a heavy weight to the air where she stood. She sensed their presence, as they expected. 

“Can I help you?” She didn’t stop her work. Rook reached out with a cautious, gloved hand, then pulled it back. 

A moment passed, and Grace had been about to speak again, when a careful hand brushed against her arm, oddly soft and warm, as if the user hadn’t used their bare hands in years. Fingertips trailed down to her hands, and Grace grasped them a moment, realizing she could feel old scars she hadn’t noticed before.

“Hn.” A soft grunt, and careful fingers encouraged her own to spread, leaving her hand open palm-side up. 

A tap, a quick drag, then another tap. Pause. Three drags. Pause. Three drags again. Pause. Finally, a drag, a tap, and a third drag. Tears filled her eyes, and the Judge gently pulled her into an embrace, squeezing tightly. 

“It’s been a while, Deputy. Glad you’re back.”


	4. Horatio & Timber

The animal companions took to the Judge pretty well.

Perhaps having someone so quiet and in tune with nature (as the New Edeners strove to be) just put the furry companions at ease. Or maybe they sensed the same thing the old animal companions - Peaches and Boomer and Cheeseburger - had noticed in them. They had no issue with just wandering over and cuddling up against the Judge’s legs, or just straight up flopping in their lap (which had been particularly hilarious in the case of Horatio, who easily dwarfed the archer and had left them literally unable to get up for almost an hour). 

At times Timber would track down one of the childrens’ stray balls and bring them over to be tossed, or one of the others would bring a particularly sturdy stick they had found for him to gnaw on, which he would then bring over to toss or play tug of war with. Horatio liked to headbutt against their knees, knocking the former Deputy into leaning on him or just straight to the ground, much to the amusement of others. If they didn’t get up fast enough with the latter, he would take it as an invitation to cuddle. 

Needless to say, Carmina had made good use of an old camera when that had happened. 


End file.
